Post by |:{Rainita}:| on Jul 15, 2008 12:16:44 GMT -8
Mannabird and I have begun writing a book. Technically, deep down inside, one might be able to call this a fanfiction, but I beg to differ. All the characters have personalities and descriptions that we made up even though they are based on the characters of another fabulous book. The plot is similar, but we've added plenty of our own new twists on it, so it's not really a fanfiction, is it? Well, no matter, I'm posting it here in this category because I want to and that's that.
Prologue
He Would Know Everything
Prologue
He Would Know Everything
Like the menacing cracks of a whip, their words lashed out at each other. Fiery venom shone in the pools of gray and brown that served as their eyes. With each angry phrase, one could feel the electricity in the air sizzle and spark with more and more animosity.
“Give it up, Gavin!” The young man enunciated each syllable clearly. “I’m tired of hearing you whine and complain about this whole stupid thing! If you would just take your head out of the clouds and face the fa-"
“But is that really what you think?!” Gavin interrupted with a snort of disgust. His entire aura buzzed with defiance. “You can lie to me and yourself all you want, Aiden, but inside we both know th-”
“I lie to myself!? That’s news to me!” Aiden retorted violently, cutting Gavin short. Malice radiated from his countenance. “You need to drop this! Do you realize how ridiculous this all is!? Besides you, no one cares!”
“No one else needs to care about it!” Gavin spat aggressively. “Except you! When you steal from me, you have to pay for it!”
Dryly, Aiden rolled his eyes. Through gritted teeth, he growled, “I seem to have forgotten. What was it again that I supposedly stole?”
Gavin voiced a long stream of curses that was drowned out by the noises below. The two stood high above the stage on the catwalk. Heavy lighting equipment and electric cords surrounded them. The person who had previously been messing the fresnels and their gels had promptly abandoned ship when she had seen the deadly combination made by the two young men.
Gavin, who had been sent above stage to fetch someone, had noticed Aiden sulking about by the ellipsoidals. The two constantly waged an infamous battle over one odd thing or another. False accusations flew like missiles between them whenever they were within hearing range of each other. No one but the pair themselves could remember what had sparked the original hostility in the first place. Gavin, seeing no reason to hurry and secretly delighted to see the lighting technician leave once she caught sight of him, immediately sliced open the argument, sure that he would gain the upper hand.
Despite the fact that Gavin’s vulgar outcry had been inaudible, Aiden got the message. Inside, his blood boiled. His nostrils flared with outrage. His voice, however, was amazingly controlled. “Stop.” The coldness in Aiden’s voice chilled Gavin to the bone as a sudden nervousness that he had never before experienced nestled down in his chest. “Go back down to the stage and take your idiotic accusations with you.”
“Why,” Gavin snarled, “I’m not afraid of you!” The only thing was, secretly, Gavin found that he was suddenly a great deal afraid of Aiden.
Aiden felt the cold anger grab hold of him again; he could not force it down. Inwardly he struggled, knowing it was not much use. Much of him wanted very much to be able to ignore Gavin. Aiden’s gaze strayed to the ground and he clenched and unclenched his fists several times while he tried to maintain control. Aiden’s gray eyes flicked abruptly up from the floor to meet Gavin’s brown ones.
Gavin saw something there that terrified him. Involuntarily, he stepped backward, so he found himself against the metal railing that adorned the catwalk. He let out an unintended gasp as Aiden took an emphatic step toward him. A cruel smile played itself on the young man’s mouth and he took another dramatic stomp towards Gavin.
Gavin despised looking weak, especially in his opponent’s eyes. With an enormous effort, he pulled away from the railing and squared his feet in a defensive stance.
Aiden's smirk disappeared and he quit his act. Instead, he strode straight up to Gavin until he was nearly close enough to see himself reflected in his pupils. “I told you to get back down on the stage,” he hissed.
“No!” Gavin’s shout was punctuated aggressively by a swing of his fist.
Aiden didn’t have time to duck or block the punch. Knuckles like a brick caught his cheekbone. For a moment, he didn’t react. He and Gavin both breathed heavily for a few heated seconds. He should not have done that, the former thought savagely. Then, he sent his own fist barreling into his adversary’s gut.
The air was knocked immediately from Gavin. He staggered backwards again so that his lower back pressed against the cool metal banister once more. Neither he nor Aiden were small men. Each of them was a formidable size and had a strong build. Both of them had particularly muscled hands; hands sculpted by hours of playing the violin. It was no surprise at all that the twenty-one year old man doubled up in pain, clutching at his stomach.
Aiden, however, displayed no act of proper fist fighting etiquette. He gave Gavin a rough shove before letting him recover fully. Instantly he was rewarded with a kick to the ribs as his rival rolled over the catwalk’s low railing.
A shriek of terror escaped Gavin’s lips as he began to tumble through the air. Desperately, he thrust his hands upwards, and by some miracle, he was able to grasp the lowest part of the banister. “Help me!” he yelled, looking frantically to Aiden. “Don’t let me fall!”
For several long, cruel seconds, Aiden looked impassively down at Gavin. Why should he? It was Gavin’s own fault that he was hanging dangerously over the stage. He was a fool.
“I’m sorry!” Gavin cried. Actual tears of fear pooled in his eyes. “I’m sorry! Help me!”
Aiden felt his anger start to subside, though not entirely disappear, and it left indecision behind. He dropped down into a crouch and clutched at Gavin’s sweaty hands. Below them lay the orchestra pit, which would make Gavin’s fall that much more deadly. With a sorrowful pang, Aiden realized that nearly everyone would be off to eat lunch. Tentatively, he peered below. True to his suspicions, only a few men lingered on the stage. “Get help!” he commanded as loudly as he could manage.
It took a few moments for the workers to find where the voice had come from. It took them longer to dash from the stage to the theatre’s doors. Idiots! Aiden thought angrily. Grimly, he planned for the worst. “Don’t let go!” he called to Gavin.
Even inches from death, Gavin couldn’t hold back sarcasm. “Duh!” he gasped. Fruitlessly, he kicked out with his feet, searching for footholds that didn’t exist.
“Stop moving!” Aiden snarled. “Are you trying to fall faster?” The dilemma before him stretched his patience dangerously thin. How was he supposed to pull Gavin up without toppling over the edge himself? Bending over the railing to heave him up was suicide, and Gavin was too large to fit between the lowest bar and the floor. Perhaps if he could just allow him to reach the next bar, his nemesis could pull himself up.
Aiden attempted to do just that. It would have worked too, if he hadn’t slipped at the last moment. His head struck one of the bars and he momentarily blacked out. When he was able to blink the darkness form his eyes, Gavin was left hanging by one hand.
With both hands, Aiden grasped Gavin’s wrist. He pulled backwards with all his might, hoping that Gavin would be able to grab the lowest bar with his other hand once more. Unfortunately, both of their hands were slick with sweat. Before Aiden could get a better hold on him, Gavin slipped from his grasp. He screamed as he fell. Aiden watched with horror as he crashed onto the chairs set up in the pit for the musicians.
Without a second thought, Aiden dashed for the stairs. He flew down them three at a time. Once he reached the stage, he sprinted over to the pit and leaped down into it. Gavin was crumpled into a grotesque position, but he was still breathing. His most obvious injury was a blow to the head, which was rapidly staining the fabric on the chairs’ seats.
“Aiden?” Gavin gasped. He couldn’t turn his head to look at the man, but Aiden’s breathing was loud enough to betray his presence.
“What?” Aiden asked urgently. He was afraid to touch Gavin, not knowing what bones might be broken and what he might damage. However, he hovered as close as he could.
“If I don’t make it-“
“You’re going to make it, Gavin!”
“Shut up, Aiden.” Gavin’s voice was terribly weak. “I want you to look after my sister. Don’t judge her because of the stupid things I did. Take care of her.” At the end of his wish, Gavin’s voice was hardly a whisper. Aiden practically had to read his lips to understand his words.
“Of course!” Aiden promised.
Gavin gave a shaky smile. Then, with a shuddering breath, he closed his eyes. Aiden sat helplessly beside him as he went limp and life left him.
Hot tears of anger burned Aiden’s eyes. It was his fault! If only he hadn’t reacted so harshly. He would be somewhere else in the theatre, fuming silently to himself. Gavin wouldn’t be lying in a pool of scarlet. Gavin wouldn’t be dead. What have I done? “What have I done?!” The words came out in a strangled whisper.
The sound of the theatre’s doors opening and running feet pulled Aiden out of his miserable trance. When he stood up, he saw some men running towards him, led by the workers he had sent for help. With the strangest sensation of feeling wet, he looked down to find his clothes covered in crimson. Blinking through his tears, he turned and ran away from Gavin’s broken body. He had to get out of there. The blame of Gavin’s death would fall on his head. Everyone knew of the enmity between them. Who else would have killed him?
Aiden deftly dodged random props and set pieces as he raced through the miniature labyrinth of backstage. In the darkness, he felt slightly better; he couldn't see the blood on his hands. Tears still glistened on his cheeks all the same as he burst into the brightly-lit hallway. Fortunately for him, most people were still eating their lunch. Only a few saw him covered in Gavin’s blood as he darted towards his room.
Images raced through his head. Once again he saw the body crumpled upon the chairs. Would he ever forget that scene? He knew without a doubt that he would never forget what Gavin said on his last breath. “Take care of her…"
Once he had reached his room, he took off his bloody shirt. He rubbed his hands and arms with it. It was the best he could do for now without soap and water. He pulled on a new shirt and pants and threw his crimson clothing into the garbage. Shakily, he then sat on his bed. His elbows rested on his knees and he propped up his head by covering his face by both hands. For a long time, he just sat and cried.
After a while, more pressing matters entered his mind. He had to leave, and he had to leave now! He sprang from his bed, pulled his battered bag from under his bed, and began throwing all his clothing into it. His other belongings disappeared into the suitcase too. Soon, all that was left was his violin, lying neatly in its case on the table under the small mirror. He zipped up his bag, clamped down the violin case and headed towards the full-length mirror on the other side of his small room.
Aiden set down his belongings and leaned towards the mirror. His fingers were spread out like giant spiders as they pressed against the glass. He pulled heavily to the left and the mirror slid into the wall. Revealed behind the glass was a small door. The violinist opened the door slowly and picked his things back up. He strode through the doorway.
He would hide in the shadows beneath the theater. The darkness would become his home, for he had no other. The theatre’s passageways, trapdoors and secrets would all be his to discover. He would hide from his pain. Always, he would look for Gavin’s sister. He would know everything.
